Gothia Cup

Denmark, Sweden, England. Sounds like a dream vacation? For local kids, it's a soccer vacation, too. Eight area youth soccer players from Pembroke Pines to Boca Raton have been chosen to play on the United Soccer Academy International boys' and girls' teams. Karissa Jensen, Cristina Ortega, Jason Watts, Jeremy Weber, Meredith Stark, Alec Lowell, Juan Lemos and Alex Quinonez will represent the American team on its three-week Gothia-Manchester Tour that began on July 9 in Europe. "This is my fourth year going with the United Soccer Academy," said Stark, 18, of Coral Springs, and graduate ofPine Crest playing in the 18-under Division.

Donish Cole came through with a pair of goals and was named Most Valuable Player as the MagicJack Hot Shots from the Palm Beach Soccer Academy defeated host AIK FF 1 (Sweden), 2-0, in the Girls' 12 Division finals of the Gothia Cup tournament at Ullevi Stadium in Sweden last month. The Hot Shots won all seven matches and outscored their opponents, 29-4. Kylie Borislow was named top defender of the championship match. "We are a new team and this is our first championship and we hope to add a few more this year," said Palm Beach Soccer Academy coach Jayson Chung.

Denmark, Sweden, England. Sounds like a dream vacation? For local kids, it's a soccer vacation, too. Eight area youth soccer players from Pembroke Pines to Boca Raton have been chosen to play on the United Soccer Academy International boys' and girls' teams. Karissa Jensen, Cristina Ortega, Jason Watts, Jeremy Weber, Meredith Stark, Alec Lowell, Juan Lemos and Alex Quinonez will represent the American team on its three-week Gothia-Manchester Tour that began on July 9 in Europe. "This is my fourth year going with the United Soccer Academy," said Stark, 18, of Coral Springs, and graduate ofPine Crest playing in the 18-under Division.

So you want to play professional soccer. The opportunity to focus your soccer career in that direction isn't that far off or far fetched. CareerSports Soccer Academy, based in Miami, provides a professional environment for youth soccer players in the South Florida area. After launching the academy in May, CareerSports got its first look at the results, a boy's 17-under boys team, on the field against England's Blackburn Rovers at the Sunrise Hilton Sports Complex on Aug. 17. Still a work in progress, coach Steve Rutter was pleased in the direction of the young men despite the 5-1 loss.

Jerry Miller, a sixth grade student from Sheridan Hills, has been selected to represent the United States as a member of the United Soccer Academy. The team will be making a two-week trip through Europe (July 13-Aug. 2) beginning with a training camp in Denmark. Participants will then travel to Goteborg, Sweden, to compete in the Gothia Cup. More than 1,200 teams from 58 countries are expected to take part in the five-day event. Following the Gothia Cup, the team will travel to Hjorring, Denmark, to compete with 750 teams from 35 countries in the Dana Cup. "The United Soccer Academy is dedicated to helping youth soccer players develop the confidence and ability to pursue their soccer dreams," said Denny Lubinsky, regional director.

Donish Cole came through with a pair of goals and was named Most Valuable Player as the MagicJack Hot Shots from the Palm Beach Soccer Academy defeated host AIK FF 1 (Sweden), 2-0, in the Girls' 12 Division finals of the Gothia Cup tournament at Ullevi Stadium in Sweden last month. The Hot Shots won all seven matches and outscored their opponents, 29-4. Kylie Borislow was named top defender of the championship match. "We are a new team and this is our first championship and we hope to add a few more this year," said Palm Beach Soccer Academy coach Jayson Chung.

So you want to play professional soccer. The opportunity to focus your soccer career in that direction isn't that far off or far fetched. CareerSports Soccer Academy, based in Miami, provides a professional environment for youth soccer players in the South Florida area. After launching the academy in May, CareerSports got its first look at the results, a boy's 17-under boys team, on the field against England's Blackburn Rovers at the Sunrise Hilton Sports Complex on Aug. 17. Still a work in progress, coach Steve Rutter was pleased in the direction of the young men despite the 5-1 loss.

If you love soccer, are between the ages of 10 and 19 and want to travel, the United Soccer Academy is looking for you. The 1998 Academy program to Europe will consist of a five-day training camp in Denmark, followed by participation in the world's largest youth soccer tournament, the Gothia Cup, in Sweden and the Dana Cup also in Denmark. Dedicated to "helping players develop the confidence and ability to pursue their soccer dreams, as well as focusing on developing a well-rounded player through international soccer travel and competition," the United Soccer Academy will conduct a clinic/tryout Oct. 19, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.

When Peruvian soccer professional Bruno Torres opened Korner Kick Indoor Soccer 16 months ago, he wanted to bring a style of soccer that he grew up with to South Florida. Little did he know that his facility would turn into a west Broward home for the development of youth soccer skills as well as a competitive enclosed pitch for adults of all skill levels. One of three indoor soccer facilities in South Florida, Korner Kick is located at the extreme western edge of Pembroke Pines in the Chapel Trail Commerce Center near the intersection of Johnson Street and US 27. Though Korner Kick is tucked in a remote area of Broward County, that hasn't stopped children and adults from coming to compete in the various camps and leagues it offers.

If it isn`t a people problem, it`s a weather problem. The 1991 Broward Sports Festival youth soccer tournament was supposed to be played June 8-9 at Pine Island Park in Plantation. But the weather didn`t cooperate. The athletes showed up and early-round games were played, but then the rains came and many of the semifinals and finals were postponed until June 15-16. The rains came again last weekend and some of the divisions still have not been completed. "This has been a wacky year," said soccer tournament director Don Pruett of Plantation.

Denmark, Sweden, England. Sounds like a dream vacation? For local kids, it's a soccer vacation, too. Eight area youth soccer players from Pembroke Pines to Boca Raton have been chosen to play on the United Soccer Academy International boys' and girls' teams. Karissa Jensen, Cristina Ortega, Jason Watts, Jeremy Weber, Meredith Stark, Alec Lowell, Juan Lemos and Alex Quinonez will represent the American team on its three-week Gothia-Manchester Tour that began on July 9 in Europe. "This is my fourth year going with the United Soccer Academy," said Stark, 18, of Coral Springs, and graduate ofPine Crest playing in the 18-under Division.

Denmark, Sweden, England. Sounds like a dream vacation? For local kids, it's a soccer vacation, too. Eight area youth soccer players from Pembroke Pines to Boca Raton have been chosen to play on the United Soccer Academy International boys' and girls' teams. Karissa Jensen, Cristina Ortega, Jason Watts, Jeremy Weber, Meredith Stark, Alec Lowell, Juan Lemos and Alex Quinonez will represent the American team on its three-week Gothia-Manchester Tour that began on July 9 in Europe. "This is my fourth year going with the United Soccer Academy," said Stark, 18, of Coral Springs, and graduate ofPine Crest playing in the 18-under Division.

Jerry Miller, a sixth grade student from Sheridan Hills, has been selected to represent the United States as a member of the United Soccer Academy. The team will be making a two-week trip through Europe (July 13-Aug. 2) beginning with a training camp in Denmark. Participants will then travel to Goteborg, Sweden, to compete in the Gothia Cup. More than 1,200 teams from 58 countries are expected to take part in the five-day event. Following the Gothia Cup, the team will travel to Hjorring, Denmark, to compete with 750 teams from 35 countries in the Dana Cup. "The United Soccer Academy is dedicated to helping youth soccer players develop the confidence and ability to pursue their soccer dreams," said Denny Lubinsky, regional director.

The Smirnoff Gold Coast Soccer League concludes its season today with championship games in three divisions at Brian Piccolo Park, 9501 Sheridan St. in Cooper City. The First Division final will match Miramar Ilusiones against the Miami Freedom Jrs. at 4 p.m. Miramar defeated Sports Complex 3-2 in last Sunday`s semifinal game as Victor Hurtado scored two goals and Teofillo `Nene` Cubillas added the third. Cubillas, the former Fort Lauderdale Striker whose 10 World Cup goals for Peru place him tied for fifth on the all-time list, coaches Ilusiones.

A mix-up may have cost the South Broward AAU basketball team the Gold Coast AAU championship last Sunday. South Broward thought the championship game against Miami Carol City was supposed to be played at Carol City High. Wrong. It was at Broward Community College, and the confusion cost South Broward the availability of Fred Pollard and Dennard Hutchinson, two of its best players. Carol City led throughout in scoring an 81-67 win over South Broward, which had won the previous two meetings between the teams.